Hair styling device, hair styling method and drive system

Abstract

A hair styling device and a hair styling method are described, for imparting a wave to a section of hair, the device having a first forming member, a second forming member, and a hair-receiving region between the first forming member and the second forming member. A primary driving element is movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member and is adapted to move the section of hair in the hair-receiving region in a hair-deforming direction. The device has a secondary driving element, movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member, and adapted to move the section of hair in the hair-receiving region in a direction opposed to the hair-deforming direction. The secondary driving element can thereby drive the section of hair into a more relaxed position to produce a more natural looking wave.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair styling device for imparting a wave to a section of hair, the device having a first forming member and a second forming member, a hair-receiving region between the first forming member and the second forming member, and a primary driving element which is movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member and which is adapted to move the section of hair in the hair-receiving region in a hair-deforming direction, the device having a secondary driving element which is movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member and which is adapted to move the section of hair in the hair-receiving region in a direction opposed to the hair-deforming direction. 
     
     
         2 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the primary and secondary driving elements are connected to move together. 
     
     
         3 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the primary and secondary driving elements are parts of a unitary component. 
     
     
         4 . The hair styling device according to  claim 3  in which the unitary component is a driving member. 
     
     
         5 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the primary driving element and the secondary driving element comprise upstanding driving elements of a driving rail. 
     
     
         6 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which at least one of the first forming member and the second forming member has a number of upstanding forming elements. 
     
     
         7 . The hair styling device according to  claim 6  having a body and a closure part, the closure part being movable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position, in which the primary and secondary driving elements overlap the forming elements when the closure part is in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The hair styling device according to  claim 7  in which the driving members are mounted to the body and the forming elements are mounted to the closure part. 
     
     
         9 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  having a chamber for containing the section of hair in use, the forming members and the driving elements being located in the chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the driving elements are angled in the hair-deforming direction and are sharply pointed. 
     
     
         11 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which the primary and secondary driving elements are mounted to a driving rail, in which each of the driving elements has a first side and a second side, in which the driving rail has a linear edge between the first side of the first driving element and the second side of the second driving element, the first side leading when the driving elements are moving in the hair-deforming direction and the second side leading when the driving elements are moving in the direction opposed to the hair-deforming direction, the second side being angled so as to cause, in use, the section of hair to be pushed away from the linear edge when the driving rail is moving in the direction opposed to the hair-deforming direction. 
     
     
         12 . The hair styling device according to  claim 1  in which each of driving elements is movable between a start position and a limit position. 
     
     
         13 . A method of styling a section of hair with a hair styling device having a first forming member and a second forming member, a hair-receiving region between the first forming member and the second forming member, a primary driving element which is movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member, and a secondary driving element which is movable relative to the first forming member and the second forming member, the method comprising the steps of:
 {i} moving the primary driving element relative to the first and second forming members to move the section of hair in the first hair-receiving region in a hair-deforming direction,   {ii} moving the secondary driving element relative to the first forming member and the second forming member to drive the section of hair in the hair-receiving region in a direction opposed to the hair-deforming direction.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  in which the primary and secondary driving elements move together relative to the first and second forming members. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  in which in step {i} the primary driving element moves to a limit position, and in which in step {ii} the secondary driving element moves in the reverse direction to a retracted position. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  having a start position for the secondary driving element, in which the retracted position is the start position. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  in which a driving element acts as the primary driving element for a first section of hair and as the secondary driving element for a second section of hair. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13  in which the hair styling device has heating means for heating one or more parts of the device to a desired operating temperature, in which method the desired operating temperature is not reached until after the step {ii}. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13  in which the section of hair is released from the secondary driving element during step {ii}. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13  in which the section of hair is not clamped.